Many U.S. military personnel carry rifles or other large weapons from time to time as part of their military duties. Typically, the U.S. government provides these personnel with an outdated shoulder sling—similar to those used in World War II—for carrying their weapon. Many military personnel immediately replace the outdated sling with a more modern aftermarket version. However, today's weapon slings share a number of significant drawbacks and limitations.
A conventional sling attaches to a weapon at one point or more points and is designed primarily for retention purposes. While these slings can provide adequate weapon retention, they have many drawbacks. For example, the sling only allows for a one-handed configuration when handling the weapon, requiring the user to remove the sling and reinstall it on the other shoulder to switch firing hands. The sling also allows the weapon to swing or move around on the user's body as they perform athletic activities such as walking, running, jumping, or climbing. Even the simple act of kneeling or squatting down may result in the tip of the weapon contacting the ground, risking weapon damage or malfunction from debris.
Furthermore, when a user wants to switch to a secondary weapon, the weapon connected to the sling must be physically thrown, or slung, behind the user to get it out of the way. Retrieving the weapon requires the user to either reach behind them for the gun or rotate the sling around their shoulder, wasting precious time and energy. Additionally, the conventional sling is not well suited to long periods of use. Large guns can be quite heavy, especially when fully loaded, and conventional slings concentrate that weight on the user's body. This causes fatigue that can lead to other operational hazards.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved weapon restraint system, and in particular, a weapon restraint system that allows a user to safely carry a weapon in a manner that allows for maximum flexibility without negatively impacting any desired use of the weapon.